Centrifugal filters or separators have been in use for a substantial time but have suffered from problems such as excessive cost of manufacture, difficulty of assembly, and functional inadequacy. Often the prior known separators include clamping mechanisms which are spring-loaded to the extent that tools are usually required in removing portions of the housing to permit access to the internal operating elements of the separator. In addition, threaded rods and nuts are usually included to secure the shafts and other portions of the rotary unit to the remainder of the housing on or adjacent to the engine. This has made those separators relatively expensive to manufacture because of the complexity of the parts involved and difficult to operate because of the nature of the attachment mechanisms particularly.
Not only the construction and assembly, but also the mode of operation of prior known separators has been deficient in several areas. Proper flow paths may not always be established to ensure that the particles within the oil being treated are thrown toward the peripheral portions of the rotary unit. In addition, the centrifugal force imparted to the oil as it leaves the rotary unit often causes the oil to swirl as it is delivered from the separator to the engine. The swirl remaining with the oil as it is dispensed from the separator reduces the effectiveness of the oil because the desired flow pattern is not always achieved.
Another problem inherent in prior known separators results from the fact that pressure surges occur in the oil output line from the engine so as to subject the cartridge and its internal rotor unit, etc., to substantial suddenly applied forces. It has consequently been necessary to employ relatively heavy and consequently more expensive materials than would be necessary if it were not for the forces resultant from pressure surges encountered in the usual operation of many devices of this type. The rotor units of devices of the type disclosed in our aforementioned prior application Ser. No. 82,548, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,504, must normally be held in position by a relatively strong spring having sufficient strength to completely resist the force exerted by the oil pressure to which the units are normally subjected. However, pressure surges can occur to move the rotor unit and permit the dumping of the incoming oil into the housing externally of the rotor unit so as to cause the dirty oil to be recirculated to the engine.
Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved oil purifying and separating apparatus.